Windswept
by Living Pretty
Summary: "Did you ever, like, someone." "I've 'liked' a lot of people Harry, but if you mean fancy someone, then yes." Harry looked up at his godfather and asked, "What was she like?" Sirius merely shook his head, chuckling. "That," He stated, "Is a long story."
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Honestly, Harry didn't know why now of all times he'd decided to think about girls, in all of their never ending complexities, mood swings, and general mystery. He hadn't the faintest idea what girls liked in a boy. Now that he DID come to think of it, he didn't know anything about girls. At all. Of all things to think about, while sitting in his bedroom at number twelve Grimmauld Place, girls hadn't been exactly up high on the list, but it was a distracting thought form more pressing matters, such as a ministry hearing looming in front of him. Another query suddenly presented itself to his already befuddled subconscious, one that he couldn't believe he'd never asked before. He got to his feet with a creaking of bed springs and set off into the house, in search of the one person who could actually answer it.

He found him, in a room at the top of the stairs, in the sole company of Buckbeak. "Sirius..." He said slowly, walking inside. His godfather looked up with a ghost of a smile. "Hello Harry, you look like you've got a lot on your mind."  
"I do," admitted Harry, looking slightly abashed. "but it's pretty ridiculous, so, bear with me?"  
"Of course." Sirius gestured to the bit of floor next to him, "Take a seat."  
Once Harry had done so, he asked, "So, what's on your mind that is ridiculous?"  
"Girls." Blurted out Harry, immediately feeling foolish after doing so. Sirius smirked, "Ah, very ridiculous indeed, any girl in particular?"  
"No, just, the species in general." he paused then, staring at the grey floorboards between his feet, and listening to the hippogriff preen his feathers and nose about the straw covered floor for rats. "Sirius," He mumbled at length, breaking the silence, "Did you, ever, I mean, have you ever had...Did you ever, like, anyone?"

He could feel his cheeks growing warm and practically feel his godfathers amusement at the question. "Well, I have 'liked' a lot of people, but I get what you're going on about. You mean, did I ever fancy anyone? And the answer is yes. Of course I have, everyone has."  
"Have you ever fancied someone for an extended period of time."  
"Yes, very extended."  
Clearly, Sirius found it very funny at Harry's embarrassment about the whole subject. In fact, this was the happiest he'd been all holiday. Harry stopped examining the floorboards and looked up at Sirius, "Who was she?"  
"Her name was Gail, well, that's what everyone called her. It was her middle name."  
"What was her full name?"  
"Elizabeth Gail Hally."  
"Hally, that sounds familiar."  
"Of course it does," muttered Sirius sitting up a little straighter against the wall and flicking off a piece of straw from his pants. "The ministry is littered with Hally's, her father use to be the head of The Department of Magical Law Enforcement."  
Harry's eyes widened slightly, "That sounds, intimidating."  
"Oh believe me, he was."  
"What was she like?"

Sirius laughed slightly, shaking his head. "Hard to explain, that's definitely one way to put it... She was very...bossy, sometimes, especially if she was anxious, but she was also, fun, and very loyal, and so protective that it was almost scary. You should ask Remus sometime about the September 3rd incident, oh blimey, that was hilarious. She was so protective of Remus, like a little mother hen. She very rarely had a problem saying what she felt, when she felt it, and was always so sure of herself, or it seemed that way, wildly stubborn and you could always tell what Gail was feeling, she was an open book."  
"When did you notice that you did fancy her?" questioned Harry. This was a different sort of conversation, one that he'd ever had with his godfather. Sirius looked so much younger than he'd ever seen him, and happier, reminiscing about when he was in school. Sirius laughed and shook his head, "Not nearly quick enough. Not until around the middle of my seventh year, but we'd always been friends. She and James knew each other quite well, their father's had rubbed shoulders a lot, old quidditch buddies. They were like a package deal,"  
"Really," Harry was surprised, "if they were such good friends, why have I never heard of her before," He wondered aloud.  
"I bet you've seen a picture of her," said Sirius, "She was around a lot. Just a moment, I know I have one somewhere." He got up, and walked out of the room. He came back a few minutes later, brushing dust off of an old shoe box. He sat back down and opened it up, rifling through the contents, "I'm surprised my mother didn't throw these out, my protective charm still worked." He said triumphantly. "Ah, here we go."

He handed Harry a square, sun faded photograph, with crinkled edges. The girl was sitting under a tree, wearing an enormous smirk and weaving daisies into a sleeping Sirius's hair. She seemed to be tall but very thin, petite, was the proper word. Her hogwarts uniform was rumpled, shoes and stockings off, and her shirt untucked and unbuttoned, and slipping off her shoulder. Her own hair was a pale blonde and messy, tied in a knot at the back of her head, but with tendrils clinging to her face and neck. Freckles dotted across her nose and under her eyes. For some reason, she reminded him a little bit of Ginny, she was the same sort of tomboy-ish style to her, very pretty, but her expression was what made it so, not so much her face. "She's pretty," He said, handing it back to him, "What happened to her? Where is she?"  
Sirius's smile slid off his face as fast as it had come, and suddenly, he looked older than Harry had ever seen him, older and sadder. More worn down. "I, I don't know." Said Sirius, "I never saw her again, after I was locked in azkaban."  
"I'm sorry, Sirius. I didn't mean-"  
"That's alright, there was no way you could have known."

Downstairs, they both could hear Mrs. Weasly's voice calling up the stairs. "IF ANY OF YOU WANT DINNER, YOU BEST BE GETTING A MOVE ON!" Harry got up, brushing dust and straw off of his jeans, and looked down at his godfather. Sirius hadn't moved, he was staring at the picture, a pained look on his face. "Sirius..." Said Harry hesitantly, "Are you coming?"  
"In a moment, you go ahead."

So Harry left him there, in the dingy bedroom, with the box of photographs next to him, still wearing that odd expression, partly happy, but at the same time, terribly sad. Before he closed the door, Harry saw Sirius stretch out a single finger, and brush the face of the happy girl in the photograph.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Sirius couldn't help the wave of nostalgia that had washed over him with those pictures. He longed for those days, when all that mattered was passing the next Charms test, and what prank he and James were going to pull next, and who was taking who to the hogsmead weekend trip. As he stared at the photograph he could practically feel the warm autumn sun, and the velvety grass under his fingers. He could hear the gentle lapping of the black lack on the rocky shore, and the smell of Gail's perfume. He remembered her vividly, but then again, she wasn't someone easily forgotten...

* * *

Platform nine and three quarters was as busy as usual on the first of September, and Sirius Black couldn't wait to get away from his parents and his brown nosing little brother, the latter of which was already in his Hogwarts uniform, black hair neat and smooth in stark contrast to Sirius's own appearance, his black hair just above his shoulders and messy and clad in a tee shirt from a muggle band that not even Sirius had ever listened too, and jeans with holes worn at the knees. He was starting his fifth year, and Regulus, his third. Sirius was returning from one of the worst summers of his entire life, but, then again, he thought that about every summer he'd ever had. He'd tried to spend most of it roaming around London, or locked away in his bedroom, writing to his friends and looking through muggle magazines about motorcycles and smoking in the library, anything to get away from his family, or piss them off. Now, when he was so close to freedom, it was all he could do to not bolt away, waving around his arms and screaming, "FREEDOM!" at the top of his voice.

He looked around the crowded platform, placidly tuning out his father's lecture and searching for a familiar face. Suddenly, there was a flash of blonde hair, and a joyous shout of : "Sirius!" and in another second, the wind was being knocked out of him, a pair of arms wrapped tight around him. "G-G-Gail?!" He choked out, looking down at the familiar grin of Elizabeth Gail Hally. He could feel a grin spread across his own face as he looked down at her, returning her fierce embrace, lifting her off her feet while she laughed. "It's been ages!" He crowed. Gail pushed her tousled bangs out of her periwinkle blue eyes and retorted, slightly reproachfully. "Yes, and you never responded to my last letter, Black."  
"I'm sorry, I got," He glanced back at his parents, who were looking furious. "Busy." He finished, scowling at them. "Come on Gail, help me with my things?"  
"Of course," Though she seemed surprised by his sudden change of mood, and he simply grabbed her arm, pulling his trolley away with his other hand and marched into the crowd. "Easy Sirius, no need to go ripping my arm off." She snapped, tugging it away, "What's the matter? Why didn't you respond to my last letter? Sirius, tell me, what's wrong?"  
"There's nothing wrong. Not with me."  
"Then why are you being so bloody surly." She stepped in front of him, arms folded and scowling fiercely, "Out with it Black, and you're not going a step further until I get the truth out of you, understand?"

Sirius groaned, but once Gail made up her mind there was no way she would change it, not for anything. However, he might just be able to distract her, and his parents were still looking very affronted about his abrupt departure, might as well make them a little angrier. He leaned down, one hand cradling her face in his hand and kissed her, hard on the mouth. She jerked back, looking half confused, half angry, "What was that about!" She demanded. Sirius smirked, "Just trying to piss my parents off a little more than usual," He murmured. He looked over her shoulder and winked cheekily at his mother who looked furious. "Your the exact kind of girl she disapproves of," he said, shoving his hands in his pockets and starting towards the train. "What do you mean, what kind of stuff does she disapprove of about me,?" Questioned Gail, jogging to catch up.  
"Oh you know, the usual." commented Sirius with a shrug of the shoulders, "Disheveled, Happy, Blonde, the things she hates most in life. Disorder and happiness, tiny little things like that."  
"So kissing me was just a way to make your mum mad... Naturally."  
"Of course, it's not like I'd kiss you for any other reason."

Gail punched him in the arm, "You know I don't know why any girl goes within ten feet of you. Your a right old bum-rag, you are." She snapped. Sirius merely smirked, "I could show you a few reasons why the girls find me so irresistible." He drawled, giving her his best 'smolder'. He was rewarded with another punch, but this one in the stomach, and rather harder than he was expecting. He doubled over, groaning, "Merlin's beard Gail!" He panted, "Who knew you could pack such a punch."

"I knew that she could." Commented another voice. Sirius and Gail both turned to see a smaller, scraggly looking boy walking towards them, looking tired but happy. "Remus!" Cried Gail happily, tackling the boy, who hadn't been expecting such an audacious welcome, and was nearly knocked flat on his back. "Good to see you Gail." He replied warmly, returning her embrace, and adding a peck on the cheek as well. Gail turned to Sirius and said, "Remus responded to all my letters, just so you know. Even James did, and he's the biggest bumbler I know."

"I believe that was uncalled for." Said James Potter heatedly, "Peter's reserving our compartment." He said to the rest of the group, before receiving a bear hug from Sirius, which included the other two as well. "Ah, the marauders are back again!" Crowed Sirius setting them all down and wearing a grin, "And the rest of you lot better be scared as hell."

Back in their usual compartment, they all sat down chatting excitedly about their summers. James regaled them all with tales of how he finally pinned a rather difficult but helpful quiditch move, after many failed attempts and injuries. Peter bored them all with his trip to visit his grandmother, and Sirius spoke of the muggle concerts, clubs and bars he'd snuck into over the break. "Really not so difficult." He said shrugging. "Muggle security guards are completely ridiculous."  
"Well aren't' you just hard-core." Said Gail rolling her eyes. Sirius crossed his arms over his chest and shot back, "Well what did you do over the break then, little miss sunshine."  
"I spent it in America, with my older brother and his wife, in California." She answered in a matter of fact kind of voice.  
"No wonder you look so tan." Said James,  
"And no wonder you're so obnoxious, if you've been "Hangin' loose" with some American beach bums." Sniggered Sirius, "Did you listen to the beach boys in your van?"  
"No," sneered Gail, "But I did see someone get their arm bit off by a shark."

Sirius's face dropped and Gail smirked, "Gotcha," She taunted, and Sirius scowled, "Oh, you're funny."  
"No, the fact that you believed me is funny." She corrected, grinning. "The chances of a shark attack in California are slim to none."  
"Well how would I know!"  
"And maybe I wasn't even at a beach, Sirius, there's a lot of places in California no where near the beach."  
"You were at the beach," Said Remus, turning a page in his book, "You were nowhere near that tan before, now you're as brown as a little nut, you've spent a lot of time outside, and in the sun, and also, you wrote me about it."

Gail frowned, "Way to ruin it for me Moony," She said sulkily. Remus merely turned another page, "No problem." He said peaceably,  
"Well what did you do over the summer, oh wise one." Snapped Sirius,  
"Quiet, just the way I like it." He replied, continuing with his book.  
"Did you like the book I sent you, Moony?" Asked Gail happily. A slight smile twitched on the corners of his mouth.  
"Of course I did, you know I love Dicken's works."

Sirius let out a loud snort that he tried in vain to contain. Remus gave him a withering look. "What?" He demanded while Sirius giggled like a schoolboy. "Nothing, just, I was never knew you were a fan of DICKens."  
"Merlin's beard Sirius, will you ever grow up?" Demanded Remus, while James and Sirius both howled with laughter. Sirius grinned wickedly, "Nope." He said. He shot Gail a conspiratorial kind of wink, and Gail, involuntarily felt her heart flutter, but she chastised herself. She wasn't the kind of girl that Sirius liked. She knew that. He liked the "sexy" girls, who were edgy, daring. Nothing like herself. She was daring, but she wasn't curvy. She was 'pretty' not 'beautiful' or 'gorgeous' and above all things, she wasn't 'sexy'.  
"Gail? What's the matter? You okay?"

Sirius had lowered his voice and was looking concerned. This of course made everything even worse. He looked gorgeous, with his thick glossy black hair hanging in his greyish blue eyes, the color of the ocean on a moody day. His eyes had softened and had lost their mischievous spark, and he was leaning in close so James, who was chattering with Peter wouldn't hear what they were saying. Gail forced a smile and cleared her throat, "Of course, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" Sirius smiled and ruffled her hair, sitting back. "Good. Wouldn't want to have to knock some heads, would I?"  
"You would love an excuse to get in a fight, don't even pretend that you wouldn't, Black."  
"You know me too well," He said laughing. He smiled again and Gail sighed. "What an idiot." She mumbled, "Trying to make me feel better just makes it worse."  
"What was that?"  
"Nothing!"

* * *

**An:/ sooooo, yeah I finally posted the second chapter, yes it's been forever, I'm sorry. It took me a while because I couldn't decide if I wanted the kiss to happen...but it happened so if you didn't like it...TOO BAD! LOL! I'M SUCH A TROLL :D Not really...anyway. Later!**


End file.
